Strawberry plant named ‘Mayflower’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant ‘Mayflower’ characterized by its firm berries that are tolerant to rain, and bright red in color and by its vigorous growth habit with tolerance to  Phytophthora cactorum.

Botanical classification: Fragaria×ananassa.

Variety denomination: ‘Mayflower’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a new and distinct cultivar ofFragaria×ananassa named ‘Mayflower’, and will herein be referred to as‘Mayflower’.

The new variety resulted from an ongoing breeding program in Kent,United Kingdom. The objectives of the breeding program were to produce astrawberry plant that produced large, firm berries with a high yield andplants that were disease resistant.

‘Mayflower’ arose from a controlled cross made by the Inventor in 1996between unnamed strawberry plants from the Inventor's breeding programdesignated as accession number EM-639 as the female parent and accessionnumber ITA 80-52-1 as the male parent. ‘Mayflower’, originallydesignated as accession number EM-995, was selected as a single uniqueplant in June 1997 from amongst the seedlings that resulted from theabove cross.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished byrooting of stolons by the Inventor in Kent, United Kingdom. Repeatedpropagation has shown that the unique characteristics of ‘Mayflower’ arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe characteristics of the new cultivar of strawberry. These attributesin combination distinguish ‘Mayflower’ as unique from all otherstrawberry cultivars known to the Inventor.

-   -   1. ‘Mayflower’ exhibits firm berries.    -   2. ‘Mayflower’ exhibits berries that are tolerant to rain.    -   3. ‘Mayflower’ berries that are bright red in color.    -   4. ‘Mayflower’ exhibits good vigor.    -   5. ‘Mayflower’ exhibits tolerance to Phytophthora cactorum.

‘Mayflower’ differs from its parent plants in the followingcharacteristics. ‘Mayflower’ differs from its female parent, EM-639, inhaving a more upright plant habit and in having larger berries.‘Mayflower’ differs from its male parent, ITA 80-52-1, in having largerberries that have a softer flesh texture, and in being more tolerant toPhytophthora cactorum. ‘Mayflower’ can be most closely compared to thecultivar ‘Jewel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,897) and ‘Cabot’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 16,971). ‘Mayflower’ differs from ‘Jewel’ in having berriesthat are lighter red in color, firmer, ripen 4 days later, and that holdits size better throughout the picking season. ‘Mayflower’ differs from‘Cabot’ in having berries that are smaller in size and firmer, in havingmore leaf cover, and in having a smoother surface. In addition, plantsof ‘Mayflower’ are less compact, runners more freely, and have stolons(runners) that are more pubescent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs depict the characteristics of twoyear-old plants of ‘Mayflower’ and comparison plants as grown understandard field conditions in Whately, Mass. The photographs depict colorfeatures as true as is reasonably possible with the digital photographymethods used. The color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription accurately describe the new strawberry.

The photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates a typical plant of ‘Mayflower’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 illustrates the stolons of ‘Mayflower’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 illustrates a typical fruit of ‘Mayflower’.

The photograph in FIG. 4 illustrates a cut fruit of ‘Mayflower’.

The photograph in FIG. 5 provides a comparison of whole fruit of‘Mayflower’ (left), ‘Jewel’ (center) and ‘Cabot’ (right).

The photograph in FIG. 6 provides a comparison of cut fruit of‘Mayflower’ (left), ‘Jewel’ (center) and ‘Cabot’ (right).

The photograph in FIG. 7 provides a comparison of the foliage of‘Mayflower’ (center), ‘Jewel’ (left) and ‘Cabot’ (right).

Fingerprint:

Simple sequence repeat markers (SSRs) were used to establish a DNAfingerprint for ‘Mayflower’. DNA was extracted from strawberry leavesusing a total nucleic acid procedure. The primers and reaction protocolswere from Lewers et al., 2005. (Strawberry GenBank-derived and genomicsimple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and their utility with strawberry,blackberry, and red and black raspberry. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci.130(1): 102-115).

The ARSFL numbers designate the individual SSR markers used in thispatent application to establish a DNA fingerprint for ‘Mayflower’. Theprimer sets used for the SSR detection, along with their base sequencesand Sequence ID NOs submitted in the Sequence Listing, are listed belowand correspond to the following Figures.

FIG. 8, ARSFL 9: F: gcgaggcgat catggagaga (SEQ ID NO: 1)

-   -   R: gcgtttccta cgtcccaata aatc (SEQ ID NO: 2)

FIG. 9, ARSFL 10: F: gcgtcagccg tagtgatgta gcag (SEQ ID NO: 3)

-   -   R: gcgccagccc ctcaaatatc (SEQ ID NO: 4)

FIG. 10, ARSFL 15: F: gcgggctgtc cacactcctt tct (SEQ ID NO: 5)

-   -   R: gcgatgcgta agtctcttca aata (SEQ ID NO: 6)

FIG. 11, ARSFL 17: F: gcgcatcaca atcgccatag aaac (SEQ ID NO: 7)

-   -   R: gcgaacacgc cttcaacaac cac (SEQ ID NO: 8)

FIG. 12, ARSFL 22: F: gcgaacccca ttaacagctt ca (SEQ ID NO: 9)

-   -   R: gcgatcaaat tcccctctaa caat (SEQ ID NO: 10)

Each of these primer sets produces a DNA banding pattern, orfingerprint, for ‘Mayflower’ that is distinct from the banding patternfor ‘Jewel’.

Photos show the DNA banding patterns of ‘Mayflower’ and ‘Jewel’ for eachSSR marker. The lanes in each photo are aligned as follow from left toright: FIG. 8: Size standard (measuring base pairs), ‘Mayflower’,duplicate of ‘Mayflower’, ‘Jewel’, primer blank. FIG. 9, FIG. 10, FIG.11, and FIG. 12: Size standard (measuring base pairs), ‘Jewel’,‘Mayflower’, duplicate of ‘Mayflower’, primer blank.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The botanical data describing was collected on one year-old plants of‘Mayflower’ as grown in a garden in New Hope, Minn. and on two-year-oldplants grown under standard field conditions in Whately, Mass. Thecharacteristics may vary in detail depending on variations in conditionssuch as temperature, day-length, light intensity, soil types, and waterand fertility levels as ‘Mayflower’ was not tested under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance withThe 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Commenced about the 3^(rd) week in may in            Whately, Mass.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Upright and mounded, stoloniferous.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 20 cm in width and 30 cm in            height.        -   Cold hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zone 3.        -   Environmental stresses.—Berries have shown to be resistant            to rain damage.        -   Diseases resistance.—Tolerance to Phytophthora cactorum has            been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Rooting of stolons.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.        -   Stem description.—Acaulescent.        -   Stolon description.—An average of 50 cm in length and 2.5 mm            in length, 158A In color and flushed with 63D.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Three leaflets.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Basal.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaflet shape.—Broadly ovate to rounded.        -   Terminal leaflet size.—Average of 5.3 cm in length and 4.8            cm in width.        -   Leaflet margins.—Serrate to crenate, average of 16 teeth per            side on terminal leaflet.        -   Angle of terminal leaflet to petiole.—30 degrees from            vertical.        -   Leaflet base.—Oblique.        -   Leaflet apex.—Round.        -   Leaflet profile.—Flat to slightly cupped upward.        -   Leaflet interveinal blistering.—Moderate.        -   Leaflet venation.—Pinnate, upper surface; 137A, lower            surface; between 145B and 145C.        -   Leaflet surface.—Glabrous and semi-glossy on upper surface ,            glaucous on lower surface with pubescent on veins.        -   Leaflet color.—Upper surface 137A, lower surface 138B.        -   Petiole.—Round in shape, average of 10 cm in length and 3 mm            in width, pubescent surface, 146C in color.        -   Petiolules.—Round in shape, average of 4 mm in length and 2            mm in width, pubescent surface, 146C in color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence.—Truss.        -   Inflorescence length.—Average of 23 cm.        -   No. of flowers per truss.—Average of 8.        -   Flower position relative to foliage.—Beneath level of            foliage.        -   Flower diameter.—Average of 3.4 cm.        -   Calyx.—Position even, average of 2.5 cm in diameter.        -   Sepals.—Lanceolate, an average of 9 mm in length and 4 mm in            width, puberulent on upper and lower surface, 137B on upper            and lower surface, truncate base, acuminate apex.        -   Petals.—Average of 5, average of 1.2 cm in length and 1.2 cm            in width, touching, color 155B on upper and lower surface,            glabrous on upper and lower surface.        -   Peduncle.—137B in color, pubescent surface, average of 2 cm            in length and 3 mm in length.        -   Pistils.—Average of 140, average of 1.1 mm in length, 151C            in color at anthesis.        -   Stamens.—Average of 21, average of 2.5 mm in length, anther            21B in color, filaments 150B in color at anthesis, pollen            15C in color.-   Fruit description:    -   -   Shape.—Broadly conical.        -   Length.—Average of 2.5 cm in length and 1.9 cm in width.        -   Surface.—Relatively smooth.        -   Calyx position.—Even to very slightly raised.        -   Diameter of calyx relative to fruit diameter.—Similar to            slightly smaller.        -   Adherence of calyx.—Strong.        -   Glossiness.—Even.        -   External color (skin).—N34 with some areas a color between            N34 and 44A.        -   Internal color.—A blend of N34A and 44A with core area 37A.        -   Evenness of color of skin.—Even.        -   Evenness of color of flesh.—Lighter near core.        -   Fruit acidity.—Medium.        -   Fruit sweetness.—Medium.        -   Season of harvest.—June bearing, mid to late, in            Massachusetts.        -   Achene color.—152D without sun exposure with some 59B when            exposed to sunlight.        -   Insertion of achenes.—Slightly inserted.        -   Achene size.—1 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named‘Mayflower’ as herein illustrated and described.